Ordination

Ordination is the term for a Minister of religion to "take holy orders" (be consecrated; be licenced by the church organisation; be bestowed with subordinate authority by a superior religious authority).

• A person who has been through this process is said to be ordained.
• A person who is in preparation for, or who is undergoing the process of ordination, is sometimes called an ordinand.

A person ordained as a minister of religion is typically allowed to officiate at religious ceremonies, notably the sacraments: Christening, wedding (marrying people), burial. Ordination is one requirement in many secular jurisdictions to officiate at weddings, although that jurisdiction may also have a system of performing secular marriage ceremonies.

Ordination of women

The ordination of women is a controversial issue in some religions or denominations, where either the office of ordination, or the role that an ordained person fulfils, is traditionally restricted to men for various theological reasons.